Improvement in colliery-plants



R. A. WILDER, canner Plant.

10,167,719, I .Patented Sept.14,1875.

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Witnesses: u 4 a Per I =Annmeys'.

'PETERS. PHDTQ UTHDGRAPME-fl, WASHINGTON, D C

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RUFUS A. WILDEE, OF ORESSONA, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN COLLIERV-PLANTS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 167,719, datedSeptember 14, 1875; application filed August 12, 1875. I

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RUFUS A. WILDER, of Oressona, in the county ofSchuylkill and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Colliery-Plant, of.

which the following is a specification:

The object of this invention is to furnish a more economical mode ofconstructing and operating a colliery-plant than has been heretoforeused, by dispensing with all the ordinary high buildings andtrestle-work connecting the mines with the loading-chutes and breakingmachinery and-screens.

The invention consists in the construction and arrangement of partshereinafter more fully described, and specifically pointed out in theclaims.

Figure l is a plan view of my improved colliery-plant, with some partsbroken out, and Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional elevation.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

A is the assorting-platform, on which the coal is delivered from themine on the chute B. O is a pipe for discharging water under pressure onthe chute, to wash off the dirt. The part D of this platform, on whichthe coal falls, is a screen to let the water escape, also. the fine dustand dirt. E is the conveyer, at the rear of the platform, for receivingthe fine dust, impure coal, &c., to conduct it to wagons to be drivenaway. F is the side conveyer for receiving the lump-coal from theassorters and carrying it directly to the loadingchutes G. H H and I arethe conveyors for receiving from the assorters that which is to bebroken, and conducting it to' the breakers J. Kis a slotted water-pipefor discharging a thin stream of water on the breakers, to prevent thedust from rising. L is the conveyer for receiving the coal from thebreakers and delivering it to the elevator M. N is a pipe for deliveringa forcible stream of Water on conveyer L, to be discharged from pipe 0in the same direction in which the conveyer moves, or in the oppositedirection. Q is a separating-plate under the breaker. Pis a revolvingrake, operating above the separatingplate. R are chutes at the head of gthe elevator, to receive the coal for loading. S is a movable conveyerat the head of the elevator;

and T represents the seats along the conveyors for the attendants.

The method of operating my improvement is as follows, viz: The coal isbrought from the mines in the usual way, and dumped into the chutesabove the platform. When it is covered with dirt from the mines it canbe Washed, by means of the attached hose, with water under pressure. Thefine parts unfit for use,'as well as the Water, run 011' below theplatform. In this state, the men employed on the platform to assort thecoal can easily distinguish the pure from the impure, and cast thelatter upon the com-'eyer, to the rear of the platform,- which carriesit to the dirt-wagons or elevators for that purpose, while the former isseparated, if desired, and the lump and such sizes as it is not desiredto break are thrown upon the side conveyer, which takes it directly tothe loading-chutes, while the rest is thrown upon the conveyers in frontof the platform and moved to the breakers, of which only one is shown inthis example.

Over the breaker is a slotted pipe, which throws a thin stream of water,if desired, into the breaker, to lay the dust produced by breaking thecoal. As the coal falls from the breaker upon. the next conveyer, whichdelivers it to the elevator, it may be struck by a forcible stream ofwater, steam, or compressed air from the pipe under the breaker, toassist in spreading the coal over the surface of the conveyer, andpartially separate it from the slate, which, being mostly in flatpieces, will not roll forward with the coal, but remain quiet on thesurface of the conveyor and be readily removed by pickers. Along eachside of the conveyor boys or men are seated, to pick out impurities, ifany are found at this point, and, as all the coal and contents of theconveyer pass before each one on its Way to the elevators, there ishardly a chance for any slate or other impurity to escape notice.Besides, at the end of the conveyer there is a thin opening under aseparating-plate, to take out small, thin pieces of slate not observedby the pickers, while the revolving rakes assist in moving the coal overthis plate to the buckets of the elevator, which take the coal to thehead of the chutes, where it may be screened and separated, if desired.

The movable conveyer at the head of the elevator is used to convey andseparate the coal, as conveyed from the mainchutes to any number ofchutes or platforms placed parallel to the tracks of the railroad, oneither side, for purposes of storing, and to temporary structures forshipping purposes, in case of the destruction of the main structure byfire. The movement of coal by means of these con- V veyers is notattended with the waste that results from other modes of handling, nowin use, by long chutes and shoveling.

The whole operation, after the coal is assorted on the first platform,can be made nearly automatic, and it isprobable that the combination ofthe pressure-pipe beneath the breaker, with a properly regulatedmovement of the conveyer in either direction, and the separating'plate,will result in cleaning the coalso as to entirely dispense with thepickers along the side seats of the conveyers.

The principal machinery, being arranged upon the ground on solidfoundations, away from the principal wood-work, cannot be destroyed northrown out of line or working order, so that it will operate with greateconomy and permanency.

It is evident that the movement of the ma chinery can be given bygearinggbelts, shafts, or ropes, of anysuitable arrangement, and I donot, therefore, introduce either in my plan.

The arrangement and number of the conveyers can be greatly modified, ifdesired, without really changing the general character of my Having thusdescribed my invention, I,

claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. Theassorting-platform, in combination with chutes, screens, and conveyors.

' 2. In combination with an assorting-plat-fg form, the conveyer to takethe coal directly to the loading chutes or pockets.

3. The pressure-pipe under the breaker, in combination with theconveyer, whether moving with or against the current from the'pipe.

4. The seats or benches and conveyer,

placed parallel to each other, allowing the latter to carry the mixedcoal and slate in front of the former, as described, so that the coal land slate will pass before all the pickers.

. 5. The revolving raker P, in combination with the conveyer L andslateseparator Q.

6. The combination of the conveyer at the top of the chutes, with thebreaker J, conveyer L, elevator M, and storing pockets or platforms,substantially as set forth.

a R. A. WILDER.

Witnesses:

D. H. ALBRIGHT, W. W. GRAY.

